King’s Lynn astronomy group sets up for rare celestial event

Lynn and District Astronomy Society, telescope set up for public to watch the transit of the planet Mercury across the face of the sun on Tuesday Market Place Kings Lynn
Frank Dutton ANL-161005-083247009

Published:16:56Thursday 12 May 2016

Lynn and District Astronomy Society shared a rare astronomical event on Monday when planet Mercury crossed the face of the sun.

It is only the third time this has happened this century, with the transits occuring in either May or November.

The period between May transits is the longest, between 13 and 33 years.

There were an array of special solar telescopes for the public to use, which showed how active the Sun’s outer layers are.

Frank Dutton is pictured with the telescope set up for public to watch the transit of the planet Mercury across the face of the sun on Lynn’s Tuesday Market Place.